Recipe: Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli and Sausages


Savor every bite of this delicious Italian pasta dish.

The following recipe, prepared by Chef Nick Stellino, appears on NickStellino.com.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
  • ½ white onion, finely diced
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, sweet or spicy, taken out of the casing.
  • 1 pound of broccoli flowers (florets) cut in half, parboiled for three minutes. (I prefer not to use the stalk for this recipe)
  • 2 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
  • 1 pound orecchiette pasta
  • 5 tablespoons toasted Italian style breadcrumbs
  • 5 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

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Directions

Serves 4

  1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the pasta and undercook by two minutes per the suggested time printed on the package. We will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for the perfect al dente consistency.
  2. Preheat a small nonstick pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, turn off the heat and add the Italian style breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until they brown. Set aside for later.
  3. Heat the olive oil in the pan and cook over medium heat until nice and hot, then add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic to the hot oil and stir well. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, add the white onion and stir well.
  4. Add the ground sausage and with the back of your spoon, break up the sausage into smaller pieces and cook for two to three minutes stirring well.
  5. Add the parboiled broccoli florets and cook for two to three minutes stirring well.
  6. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
  7. Now reduce heat to a simmer and cook the sauce for eight to ten minutes.
  8. Add the pasta to the sauce and over medium low heat blending together all the ingredients. Cook for three more minutes.
  9. Turn off the heat under the pasta and sauce. Add the toasted breadcrumbs and grated Romano cheese to the pan and stir until it is all well incorporated into the dish.
  10. Serve the pasta into individual servings and bring to the table.

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